Curious George

First seen in a cameo appearance in Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys, the most famous monkey in children's literature is properly introduced in this 1941 classic for children up to 7. George is caught in the jungle by a man with a yellow hat and travels by ship to live in big city—though not before falling overboard and getting rescued first. Ever curious, even when trying to do as he's told, George accidentally calls out the fire department, escapes from a jail cell, and ultimately flies aloft holding a bunch of balloons, before the man with the yellow hat finds him again. Though credited at first to H.A. (Hans Augusto) Rey alone, all of the original seven Curious George books were full collaborations between Rey (who did much of the illustrating) and his wife Margret (who did much of the writing).

"Small children will wear the book out with affection for the story with its jolly bright pictures."—Horn Book Magazine